United Airlines speedy and secret settlement, announced today, with Dr. David Dao could not have happened without the superlawyer, Tom Demetrio, handling Dr. Dao’s case. United lawyers did not want to go to depositions and to trial with Atty. Demetrio. But they got something in return that was not that beneficial to the larger cause of airline passenger safety and respect.
First, the settlement amount was secret. That raises unanswered questions about why a key deterrence from this tragic episode was surrendered. People remember how much negligent corporations like United Airlines had to pay in settlements; but they can’t remember a secret settlement. The alleged injuries, beside mental distress and embarrassment, were a concussion, a broken nose and two lost teeth. I asked three experienced trial attorneys how much they think United should have paid out. One estimated $150,000 and another guessed $1,000,000. The third plaintiff lawyer said $10,000,000, adding that you don’t settle this kind of case receiving adverse worldwide condemnation for anything less. United got bad publicity, to be sure, but corporations have any uncanny talent for getting through such uncomfortable experiences and returning their brand to normal. What they cannot
— source nader.org | Ralph Nader | Apr 27, 2017